WITNESS Video Hub: A vision for a human rights portal

WITNESS is in the process of developing a participatory website - the Video Hub, where anyone with human rights related footage can upload video that can be used to create change. Using technologies such as cell phones and other mobile devices, web-based video upload and content distribution, online community building, advocacy and organizational tools, the Video Hub will provide new opportunities to feed the populist shift toward user-generated content with media in the service of global human rights advocacy. Users will be able to create groups of community members with similar interests or concerns for issues that incorporate videos, online forums, event organizing and the ability to create campaigns and petitions so that video is not only seen, but also acted upon. Serving concerned citizens, activists, journalists, researchers, and advocates worldwide, our current plan is not to act as gatekeepers of content, but to allow community review to foster a sense of shared responsibility and accountability. WITNESS plans for a public premiere in 2007.

Human Rights Video Hub Pilot:

The  Human Rights Video Hub Pilot launched in collaboration with Global Voices. This pilot is a first step towards a larger endeavor that WITNESS is currently undertaking: the development of a Human Rights Video Hub (working title).

The first step in the project is this Human Rights Video Hub Pilot. The pilot is a curated forum that contains a subset of the functionality of the Video Hub which will be released in the summer of 2007. We hope that this pilot project will give us a better sense of the quality and quantity of Human Rights videos already in existence, and the type and level of public interest in dialogue around them.

Video Hub Blog:

Video Hub questionnaire:

In order to ensure that the Video Hub will be a truly useful tool and resource for human rights advocacy globally, WITNESS is seeking a broad range of input from people on issues concerning security and privacy, the global digital divide, emerging communication and internet technologies, human rights and the media, and online advocacy and community tools. Please help us by completing our questionnaire.

• Complete the questionnaire
  (This should take approximately 15-20 minutes)

• Cuestionario para la pagina Web “VIDEO HUB”
  (Necesitara aproximadamente 15-20 minutos para responder este cuestionario)
  

• Questionnaire sur le Hub Video WITNESS
  (Prend environ 15 à 20 minutes à remplir).
  

WITNESS Video Hub Resources:

• Video Hub One Page Overview (279 KB)
• Video Hub Functionality Overview.pdf (1,250 KB)
• Video Hub Detailed Overview (3.65 MB)
  

WITNESS Technology Report:

• WITNESS Technology Report (5.99 MB)
• ProgramObservations_Technology Audit.pdf